S04.E05: Designing For The Duchess

[yeswedo]

 

The clothiers meet British royalty in London as inspiration to create winter fashions. Guest judge: Debra Messing

 

[Lamb18]

Fergie!!  Before Fergie the singer, there was Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. I wonder if this is an 80s-inspired challenge since Fergie and Princess Diana were THE celebrities back then.

[susannot]

Loved Justin's design IF it had incorporated a panel that covered the butt.  It's fucking cold in London and you wouldn't walk around town with your butt only covered with a thin pant.  Justin's coat, if made warmer, and paired with a tall pair of black boots, would be a very stylish outfit to parade around London in.

[leighdear]

I thought Fabio's coat looked ridiculous.  It will NOT flatter The Duchess. 

 

I really enjoyed Gunnar's excitement at being in London.  It was cute, he was so giddy about meeting a royal.  He's turned a corner for me in liking him now.

 

I'm beginning to believe posters who have opined that maybe the cranky & snarky Michelle we saw during her original season was just very unhappy In her personal life, and it came out in the competition.  The now Michelle is still not my favorite, but I can't see her putting on that goofy act just for kicks.  I think it's her.

 

I really didn't like any of the other coats.  Sonjia's looked like a casual, oversized baseball jacket, Jay's was so cluttered around the neck, Helen's was incomprehensible to me.  Sam's looked like a college girl would wear it, with a pair of Ugg boots, to go get coffee.  The rest were just meh. 

 

I was disappointed to lose Benjamin, I liked him.

 

Most important to me is I couldn't see Fergie wearing any of them except Dmitry's.  Very disappointing show for me. I was very underwhelmed.

[betha]

Aaa argh why is Benjamin gone but Gunnar is still in the competition!? This show is so frustrating. Benjamin and Sam's and Jay's coats were all much better than Gunnar's, and I am still bitter about how his monstrosity last week slid by.

I liked a lot of the coats this week. I bet Fabio's looked better in person-- the darkness made it hard to see the detail on my screen. Agree on Justin's coat and the butt. A coat has to keep you warm! But it was cute.

[NYGirl]

I loved Justin's from the front.  I bet he would have won if he had the butt covered.  I liked Dimitry's too.  I would rather he won than Fabio.  I agree with the poster upthread who said it wouldn't flatter Fergie. 

 

What the hell was Helen's.  Why is she still on my screen?  Please go away.  Same with Michele.

 

They telegraphed Benjamin going home.  I feel bad when it's somebody who's familiar with either the challenge or from the area that's highlighted.  It seems to happen on every single reality show now.  Therefore as soon as he said he used to live in London I said bye bye Ben.

[BathKol]

Fergie!! Before Fergie the singer, there was Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. I wonder if this is an 80s-inspired challenge since Fergie and Princess Diana were THE celebrities back then.

I was right! I knew it had to be Porky - I mean Sarah! When my mom was getting her Masters Degree she took us to London and we stayed in a posh flat right in the swankiest part of town. I ran into her in a boot shop...she's still quite fashionable even today and after all the weight gain. I'm going to watch this episode in the morning - I missed the 6 o'clock showing and am getting ready for bed now...

Edited December 5, 2014 by BathKol

[Madding crowd]

Benjamin screwed himself by just not trying when he couldn't get the fabric he wanted. Actually, he probably could have got the fabric but he decided he couldn't have the same one as Sonjie. I thought Sam's coat looked ridiculous and she should have been out; I couldn't even imagine Fergie wearing it.

 

I liked but didn't love most of the other coats. I didn't really see anything fantastic in Dimitry's coat and would never associated neoprene and tulle with winter in London. Fabio's coat came across very dark on screen so I couldn't see the details the judges liked so much, but I like him so I'm glad he won. Justin's coat was nice too, but the opening in the back was just odd.

[betha]

The weird editing part with Benjamin was they kept showing how upset he was about not gettingn the fabric he wanted, but then he went straight from that to talking about how much he loved his coat and was going to win. I didn't see what was so bad about his coat. I thought his pockets were at least original.

[Broderbits]

I thought Benjamin's coat was very "London in the Swinging 60's/Carnaby Street", and was surprised he was sent home. Judges complain that stuff is "too junior" or "too matronly", but it seems like that's what they use when they can't come up with any constructive criticism. 

 

I would have given Justin the win; his coat was gorgeous and saucy.

[izabella]

Helen's coat made my eyes hurt.  The red orange paired with that strangely color-blocked beige was so obnoxious yet somehow drab at the same time.

 

I also did not get why Gunnar added those ripped up short sleeves to his coat.  Who wants their arms pinned to their sides while wearing a coat?

 

I suspect the back of Fabio's coat will not be flattering to Fergie.  I did like his colors and the front of his coat, though. 

[Janie1130]

I don't remember Dimitry being this bitchy on his season. I remember wanting him to win. Maybe he's getting the bad edit.

[Bebecat]

Fergie, ugh.

Do not like AM's giant bun. Not flattering. Floral dress beyond awful.

I loathe neoprene or any of those kinds of fabrics. I wish Dmitri was not hung up on it. Alyssa went a little nuts over him lol. I was not crazy about his coat personally.

Benjamin's coat was like a school girl coat.

Helen's was ugly to me.

I don't know...this episode did nothing for me.

Shouldn't the person who is going to wear the coat have been there?

Edited December 5, 2014 by Bebecat

[SSAHotchner]

I thought the right person won, but I would have sent Sam home instead of Benjamin. While his coat was kind of blah in terms of the color, I thought it looked great on the runway, kind of flirty and fun, whereas Sam's coat was boring. As far as Benjamin being in a snit because he didn't get the fabric he wanted, I didn't understand why he couldn't get the same fabric in another color. We never get to see what's available, only what the contestants choose.  I didn't care for either Helen's or Michelle's. I wish they'd get rid of those two. And Justin's look was unfortunate. I don't know anyone who would wear something with their butt hanging out. Overall, I would have sent Michelle home. Her coat was ugly and that  red makeup around the model's eyes was horrible.

[leighdear]

One advantage to Justin's coat is that you wouldn't have to worry about the back hitching up or getting wrinkled when you sat down! 

[PepperMonkey]

So I know this is relative to last epi, but I just have to say: I watched the rerun before this and although I am most assuredly not a Kate fan, Gunnar should have definitely gone for that monstrosity. Actually, they should have sent him AND Kate.

 

So is Sarah Ferguson STILL the Duchess of York? Haven't she and Andrew been divorced for like, years? I still like her though and I love that she hasn't done anything to her face, unlike most everyone in America over the age of 40 (except, of course, for us cool people here on previously).

 

I love Fabio but seriously? I would swear Zanna of the awful dresses and terrible tresses said it was a WINTER outerwear challenge. NO ONE could wear those sleeves in the winter. If it had been a spring novelty coat, maybe, but if it was supposed to be true outerwear that was fashionable, it only met the fashionable part.

 

I didn't like Dmitry's at first, but it grew on me. I'm over neoprene too, but really the technique with the mesh was quite pretty. I couldn't even tell it was neoprene and I think he could have gotten the same effect with a wool, so the fabrication didn't bother me.

 

MIchelle's was blah or I couldn't tell the details because it was black. I was so afraid Helen of Tats was going to be in the top again, so whew.

 

I will miss Benjamin also. Sam should have gone home for that OMG ANOTHER VERSION OF A MOTO JACKET. The fabric was a non-starter even though she kept going on and on about how she loved it. And I have not been impressed with anything else she's done so far. Or Jay could have gone. He just bugs me on principle.

 

I didn't like this episode very much, either. And the CGI Paddington Bear was pretty non-Paddington-like. He looked nothing like the books I remember from my childhood. And I love me some Paddington Bear.

Edited December 5, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[Zima]

I really liked Fabio's and Michelle's coats, but it was so hard to see all the details because of the dark colors. 

 

I thought Benjamin's was cute! It was a little junior, but I really did like the pockets, and I thought the fabric and cut were darling. Samantha should have gone home for sure. That fabric definitely read "bathrobe", and I swear I've seen something like it at Walmart or Target.

 

Dimitri's was kind of cool, but also kind of "Dr. Evil". 

 

Helen's coat made her model look like she had no shoulders. Very unflattering shape. 

 

Jay's was way too busy in the front, and I agreed with Alyssa that there was something jarring about that gray and mustard yellow combination.

 

I actually liked the slit up the back of Justin's coat; it was just so different.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Benjamin's design was basically just a woolen drabber version of Zanna's horrendous dress.  Which begs the question, Why would any of these designers take tips from a person with that terrible hair and her poor clothing choices?

Edited December 5, 2014 by Auntie Anxiety

[magpye29]

I would like to have seen Jay's without the vest.  I wondered why no one asked him to have the model take it off, since they complained that his design was too busy.

[RedheadZombie]

Loved Justin's design IF it had incorporated a panel that covered the butt.  It's fucking cold in London and you wouldn't walk around town with your butt only covered with a thin pant.  Justin's coat, if made warmer, and paired with a tall pair of black boots, would be a very stylish outfit to parade around London in.

 

I'm from Northern Illinois.  I would (and have) worn a coat in the winter that doesn't cover my butt.  I wouldn't, however, ever wear a coat in the winter that ends at my elbows.  Am I supposed to wear debutante gloves to the elbow so my forearms don't get frostbite?  Fabio's coat looked like he ordered it from LL Bean, and the fasteners looked like blue plastic clips you buy 3/$1.00 to keep your chips from getting stale.  I do not see his brilliance.

 

Jay's wasn't horrific.  I thought it would be pretty cool if that long lapel pulled up to tie at your throat like a scarf.

 

I'm beginning to believe posters who have opined that maybe the cranky & snarky Michelle we saw during her original season was just very unhappy In her personal life, and it came out in the competition.  The now Michelle is still not my favorite, but I can't see her putting on that goofy act just for kicks.  I think it's her.

 

I've always liked Michelle.   I'm also finding Helen so much more tolerable.  The gloom and doom and the constant crying and neediness seem to be gone.

 

I don't remember Dimitry being this bitchy on his season. I remember wanting him to win. Maybe he's getting the bad edit.

 

He is bitchy and he doesn't like anyone else getting praised.  He also sulks when he loses.  Not enjoying him this season.

[GaT]

The first dress Alyssa wore was just bad. Really, really bad. The white dress with the giant costume jewelry made her look like a society lady reject from the 60s. The way she dresses has gotten so bad she’s practically a Kardashian.

Liked
Dmitry-liked the modern feel
Benjamin-I liked the coat, it was very flirty but I didn’t like the plastic pockets. Usually I hate something the judges love, this week it was the opposite.
Fabio-I thought it was really well made, he deserved the win but boy, Dmitry was not happy about it.

 

OK
Sonjia-Not really my style, but it was OK
Sam-I would probably like it better in another fabric, but it would look cute with jeans.

 

Didn’t Like
Jay-Looked like it had extra arms all over it.
Gunnar-I didn't like the tweed, especially the pieces that went across the arms.
Helen-Didn’t like the cut
Michele-It didn’t look like you could close it, it was more of a dress than a coat.
Justin-Didn’t like the giant gap in the back.

[Lamb18]

Dmitry's coat made me think of what London looked like when coal was the main source of fuel, kind of dark and evil. Fabio's looked kind of cool, but it was too dark on my screen to catch any details.

[Haberdasher]

I'm from Northern Illinois.  I would (and have) worn a coat in the winter that doesn't cover my butt.  I wouldn't, however, ever wear a coat in the winter that ends at my elbows.  Am I supposed to wear debutante gloves to the elbow so my forearms don't get frostbite?

 

Nebraska dweller here. I have a winter coat that ends at the elbows. I wear a pair of elbow length leather gloves with it, and it works suprisingly well. I had my doubts when I bought it, but it turned out to be quite warm (and rather fabulous looking, in my opinion).

[Kenz]

The designers looked so classy when they visited London and had tea with the Duchess. Did they tell them to intentionally dress in a tacky manner on their trip to London? 

[BathKol]

The designers looked so classy when they visited London and had tea with the Duchess. Did they tell them to intentionally dress in a tacky manner on their trip to London?

That's 'Muricans for you. These people wouldn't know the Eye of Sauron from a paper bag. They probably thought they were going to meet Boy George or have a seancé to call up the spirit of Lee Alexander McQueen from the grave. 'Duchess' is not apart of any of their vocabularies.

[joelene]

I thought Dmitry's coat was a dream. Just stunning. Got a little stumped when they said it was neoprene, how warm would that jacket be? Still, gorgeous.

I didn't see the fabulousness of Fabio's 'Twas alright.

Surprised Sam didn't go, but I'm happy she didn't. I enjoy Benjamin so much more when he's not on my television.

[Julia]

That's 'Muricans for you. These people wouldn't know the Eye of Sauron from a paper bag. They probably thought they were going to meet Boy George or have a seancé to call up the spirit of Lee Alexander McQueen from the grave. 'Duchess' is not apart of any of their vocabularies.

Oh, now. I dislike some of these designers as much as anyone, but the only one up on that screen who's officially too tacky to be seen in public with the royal family is, well, not them.

[terrymct]

Benjamin screwed himself by just not trying when he couldn't get the fabric he wanted. Actually, he probably could have got the fabric but he decided he couldn't have the same one as Sonjie.

 

Exactly.  He could have used the same fabric.  It was just grey material, not something highly distinctive.  Or, he could have grabbed another grey or neutral in the same sort of material.  No, instead, he decides to suffer.   

 

That said, I don't think he should have gone home even though he designed something that looked like it came out of the 60's hipster era of London.  Mary Quant would have looked good in that coat.   Sam designed something that looked like it was made of sloppy grey sweatshirt material and was sewn by a home ec student.  Horrible.   

 

Other comments:

 

Dmitry:  I loved this coat.  I say that despite the fact it was made with neoprene, a material better suited to wetsuits and hunting/fishing gear.  It was gorgeous.  I'm not sure that it would look as good on a woman with Fergie's curves, though.  The design shines because it's straight up and down.  

 

Fabio:  This coat was gorgeous.  Lots of interesting details.  I wish the sleeves were longer, though.  Who goes out in coat weather with sleeves that only come to mid-forearm?  You'd have to wear opera length gloves.   This shape will work better for Fergie.  It has more swing through the body than does Sergio's.  I'd have been happy with either Dmitry or Fabio winning this.

 

Gunnar:   Hideous.  Absolutely frigging hideous.  He's lucky that there were worse things on the runway.  Those sleeves were odd, ugly, and didn't suit the plaid fabric.

 

Helen:  Also hideous.  It's a big sack color blocked badly, with shoulders that are highly unflattering to her model, let alone a normal shaped person.  Should have been on the bottom.   When is she finally going home?

 

Jay:  This had potential despite the pumpkin color, but he went way, way too far.  Make the front simpler and he'd have had something nice.

 

Justin:   LOVED the front, don't understand why he has the model's arse hanging out.  That's usually not a good thing for a coat to do.  Make the slit lower and this would have been fabulous.

 

Michelle:  This would have been a bit too dark for Morticia Adams to wear.  Good lord, this woman has a future in designing costumes for Tim Burton movies, I swear.  Maybe Harry Potter, as well.  

 

Sonji:   Good grief, another darn sack.  This one fits a LOT better than Helen's, though.  I'm ok with her being in the middle.

 

It was nice to see Fergie.  I wish, however, that she'd lighten up on that black eye makeup.  She's a pretty lady who is aging well.  

Edited December 5, 2014 by terrymct

[MelinaBallerina]

Damn, I was so hoping Helen would be out.  Her coat was horrid.  I remember not liking Benjamin on his season, but I've had no issue with him this time around, so boo.

 

Anyone know the story behind that blue rooster statue in London?  (I raise chickens, so things like that always leap out at me)

[Julia]

This one?

[pasdetrois]

I love coats so I hoped to enjoy this challenge. Instead, as usual, the designers weren't given enough time to actually design and sew and the results ranged from shoddy to just OK.

 

Is Fergie launching a new product or attempting to get back in the public eye? These attempts to justify the challenges and the trips are so laborious and odd.

 

I did like Fabio's coat. I would have liked Benjamin's except I hated the ruffle.

 

Did Justin purposely design the open vent in the back, or did he run out of fabric and get creative? (Not a snarky question) I understand he was trying to be inventive, but it was so bizarre. If one has a big bottom, forget about it.

[AudreyHorne]

I have always loved Project Runway even though it's been past it's prime for a long time now. This episode was so boring that it made me start to see a future when it starts to languish on my DVR unwatched. I couldn't believe it was only an hour. Also, I am (probably unfairly) comparing it to The Fashion Fund which I'm obsessed with and PR seems embarrassingly lame.

As for the coats, I thought many of them were ok and a few of them were awful. I didn't understand how Jay couldn't see that his needed a major edit. I was completely baffled by Dmitry's and thought it was seriously WTF ugly. Fabio's was fine and I agreed with the win. Whatever I may have liked about Justin's was completely cancelled out by the ridiculous back.

All in all I felt like many results had a "I just played with fabric on a mannequin and saw where it took me" feel. I didn't see any that looked like a clear, well executed and purposeful design vision. It's certainly a legitimate way to design, but in this challenge, the results were weak.

[Bebecat]

I Hit FF and only watched the runway this time. I hate when they go on these stupid trips. All I knew is that they were to make coats. And none of the coats thrilled me. But really, I need Michelle and Helen off of my screen forever.

[stanleyk]

I Hit FF and only watched the runway this time. 

 

All I watch is the runway at this point, and I don't even know if I can stomach that much longer. I can't even with the overpraise of just-ok designs: I mean, you can't find words to describe the brilliance of a coat? Really? None of these people is the second coming, and the judges trying to convince me the show has relevance to the overall fashion world insults my intelligence and theirs.

 

So is Sarah Ferguson STILL the Duchess of York? Haven't she and Andrew been divorced for like, years? 

 

I wondered this too. They were all practically genuflecting and constantly referring to the "Duchess" and the "royal family," and I was like, I'm not so sure she qualifies as either anymore. 

 

I've always liked Michelle.   I'm also finding Helen so much more tolerable.  The gloom and doom and the constant crying and neediness seem to be gone.

 

I've always liked her, too. I don't have so much tolerance for Helen, but I don't really see the bitchiness in Michelle that others have. And I like her aesthetic, for the most part.

 

Thought Sam should have gone home over Benjamin (I mean, I could NOT see what she was talking about with that "print": it looked like a sponge-painted bathroom wall from the late eighties, not the "ornateness" of any architecture one might care to emulate) but I can't be arsed to really care either way.

Edited December 5, 2014 by stanleyk

[PepperMonkey]

Hate to repeat myself, but like most of you, I did not like this episode. It felt so rushed and I knew with the amount of TH time Benjamin was getting that he was likely the ouster.

But, up to this point, I have been enjoying PRAS more than the last couple or 3 seasons of PR Original. I mean, WTF Heidi? All Stars has Karen Elson as a judge and you have mostly unknown fashion bloggers? I know, I know: All Stars also had Snooki and Jwoww or however you spell it, but they've most had better judges than PR has had in almost an entire season.

 

I have to add: I'm sure Benjamin was never going to win the season, but no way should he have been out before Gunnar. And I like Gunnar's personality; I just don't care for his designs AT ALL.

Bebe, I agree re: Helen. She's not bugging me as much as I thought she would on the show, but I still want her gone. I have so much pent up resentment for her from her original season on the show, I can't get past it. I'm not proud of that; it's just the way it is.

Edited December 5, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[Beden]

 

Did they tell them to intentionally dress in a tacky manner on their trip to London?

They probably just got off the plane and were whisked onto that tour bus with no warning nor idea as to what their day would include.

 

Was I the only one who saw Fergie and was amused by all the ohhing and ahhing about 'royalty'? I've actually nothing against the woman, 'just think she's likely a nice enough person who married into a position she was in no way, shape or form prepared for. But...does anyone else remember she was booted from the family when pics of her messing around with her then current affair--in front of her toddler kids--were plastered on every front page in the universe? From what I understand she's still persona non grata at the palace. Supposedly Prince Andrew still defends and supports her and they're supposedly close friends (I've no idea what that entails, but I think they live in the same house). I'm not even sure if she's still technically 'royal'. And yes, I'm embarrassed that I know that.

[BusyOctober]

I only watched the Runway so I had no idea who's was who's til their names popped up.  I made an instant "thumbs up/down" judgement in my head before the name showed. 

I HATED Helen's and Michelle's immediately.  What's with Helen's obsession with sloping or non-existent shoulders?  Her coat and last week's "lonely hearts" dress make her model look like she's missing her scapula bones.

I didn't think Jay's or Benjamen's were so bad. 

I agree with others that Justin needed to close up the butt area just a tad more.  I love an exaggerated "kick pleat" in the back of a dress or coat because it allows more movement, but I do not want my entire ass hanging out, especially in cold, raw, winter weather. 

Did not get Dmitri's. At. All.

[Julia]

Sarah Ferguson is still a Duchess (the divorced wives of peers keep their titles). She's not a Royal Highness, because the rules changed pretty much immediately after her divorce to strip that title from princes' ex-wives. She is a member of the royal family (pdf), probably because her daughters are in line for the throne

 

I kind of agreed with Fabio's win. A slightly-more-hip duffel coat sounds like something a fashionable middle-aged woman on the streets of London would wear. I kind of liked Samantha's, too, for a younger woman. On the downside: Michelle's coat was where light goes to die. Even if they were gracefully cut, I can't imagine what Helen or Jay were thinking designing something that color for a redheaded woman with sallow skin. And I don't hate them, but I don't picture a woman who lost fifty pounds this year wearing Justin's butt-exposing coat or Sonjia's hip-emphasizing sack.

 

I have to say, though, none of the designers did anything as heinous as what Alyssa was wearing, particularly the ill-fitting upholstery dress in the opening (was that a liberty print?) or the awful thing Zanna was wearing in the workroom.

 

Bebe, I agree re: Helen. She's not bugging me as much as I thought she would on the show, but I still want her gone. I have so much pent up resentment for her from her original season on the show, I can't get past it. I'm not proud of that; it's just the way it is.

 

I feel that way about Helen and Michelle. More power to them coming back on a show that hurt their reputations so badly, and good luck with the whole redemption thing, but Helen's mute droopiness (I guess if she doesn't have something nice to say &c) and Michelle's manic attempt to be a cool girl aren't especially appealing to me either.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Julia

[BathKol]

Oh, now. I dislike some of these designers as much as anyone, but the only one up on that screen who's officially too tacky to be seen in public with the royal family is, well, not them.

You mean Zanna Acid? Yeah, she looked pretty fried this episode - I wonder if she bleached her hair with citric acid and hydrogen peroxide? That pine green mini dress she wore to the workroom was both baggy and too short - it had no discernible waistline and the little peplum skirt was just so little girl and wrong on so many levels. Sigh.

Edited December 5, 2014 by BathKol

[politichick]

You guys are so funny with the cold weather comments. Do you imagine Sarah Ferguson takes the tube? I loved Fabio's coat and it was a nice surprise for me since I don't normally like his boho unconstructed style. Hope the win helps him with his struggling business. I liked Fabio's snarky sense of humor during is Project Runway season, but he is being kind of bitchy in all-stars and especially last night. It's not attractive. Why do they have people who've already won a season there anyway? Doesn't seem fair to me.

[TexasGal]

Did I hear correctly, when they were having tea with Sarah Ferguson, did Dmitry say his DAUGHTER wouldn't believe it?  I rewound it a couple times and could swear that's what he said.

[Wootini]

Yeah, Benjamin was clearly getting the loser's edit this episode. When he lost out on his fabric I knew he was done for. Although when he traded up from the boring grey to the snazzy checks and seemed to get into it, I thought maybe they were doing a loser-to-winner edit. But sadly they didn't like his kicky, mod coat. I thought it was cute. And I liked the pockets. Maybe if Zanna hadn't bitched about the shoulder details he wouldn't have taken them off and then there would've been another plastic element in the coat the pockets could tie into and Alyssa wouldn't have complained so much about that.

 

Because Samantha's was worse than his. Hers was a shapeless blob that hovered around the top half of the model. Also, the model looked like she was holding it in place through the pocket when she walked down the runway. That's probably not a good thing. Although actually, I thought Helen's was kind of not good, and Gunnar's was quite terrible. I remember seeing a closeup of that black and white plaid and wondering who had that wonderful fabric. The editing would have indicated Michelle, but then it turned out to be Gunnar. And then he ruined it! What was with those shredded strips of fabric around the shoulders? I mean, Benjamin's might not have been your favorite, but his design sense was better than Gunnar's.

 

I thought Justin's was quite wonderful, but I agree that the slit up the back of the coat was maybe a bit too big. I thought Dimitry's turned out really well for what he was using. It honestly looked a hot mess until it came down the runway. It did say more Eastern European than London, though, to be honest. But I also didn't see London in Fabio's coat. Not that I could see much because the fabrics he used were so dark all the detailing got lost on the runway. I hate when designers do that. They use like, four different shades of black and spend all this time working the fabric, and then on the runway it just looks… black.

 

And yeah, I hope that the designers were at least a little shamed to suddenly be presented with a duchess while they were all wearing their casual travel clothes. Still, they had those product placement suitcases with them (which, bad job, because while I remember someone being dubbed over as saying how much they loved the suitcase, they didn't say the product name. Not like when Jay said "I have to take you to the Chi Hair Care Salon" so awkwardly to his model.) so why couldn't they have changed into something more appropriate when they went to the hotel to have tea with her? 

 

Also, where is Jay actually from? Because the boy seems to only wear shorts and tank tops. Like, ALL THE TIME.

Did I hear correctly, when they were having tea with Sarah Ferguson, did Dmitry say his DAUGHTER wouldn't believe it?  I rewound it a couple times and could swear that's what he said.

 

That's also what my husband thought he said, and couldn't believe it. But he rewound a couple times and I heard him say his PARENTS wouldn't believe it.

[Lamb18]

I think she was able to keep her title of Duchess of York as part of the divorce settlement, just as Diana was able to remain the Princess of Wales.  My guess is that Fergie does stuff like this for the money. She has a history of being strapped financially and she didn't come from money like Diana did.  I guess I enjoyed this epode a bit more.  The coats looked fairly well-constructed except for Gunnar's.  Ben's did look like he kind of gave up. The flounce thing didn't really work.  If he wanted a more 60s look he could have used a bright paisley (if anything like that was available).

 

It was fun seeing a little London scenery.  They would have taken the Heathrow Express into Paddington Station. The bus ride down to the Trafalgar Square/Parliament area would have taken a bit of time.  They mostly were in the same area: Trafalgar Square, Parliament, Millennium Wheel right across the river by Waterloo.  Park Lane, where the hotel was, is about halfway between Paddington and Trafalgar Square, across from Hyde Park.

[Primetimer]

The Paddington movie is the flimsy pretext for the Project Runway All Stars to travel to London for 'inspiration' for an outerwear challenge; your editors discuss!

Read the story

[BathKol]

So watching this episode - what did Paddington Bear have to do with a washed-up 'duchess' and making outerwear coats??? I know they did a bunch of blah blah about Paddington station, but if you're going to talk stations, there's a place called King's Cross; look for platform 9 and 3/4! I wasn't listening much so if I missed something...

So of course we don't see the London fashion scene, just Lady Sarah looking kind of pinched and some pointless montage of the designers on a freaking tour bus. Yes, Sonjia, that's Big Ben, not the Ziggurat...please stop screaming.

I was hoping when Jay was standing up screeching and waving his stubby arms an invisible bar would come and knock him off deck. He's still wearing that dumb hat! What's under there, a planetary homing device? Food? A gun? It was also a perfect opportunity for Michelle's space brethren to beam her up, but alas...

Fabio is in dire need of a trim and a perm. What in the hell...?! At high tea he looked like fucking Nostradamus voodoo hippie warlock surf rat. I like beards on men, but there's a line I draw when your facial hair begins to look like a nest of spiders. Barf.

Michelle looks pretty when she smiles...ech. But it's true. She should do that more.

What made everybody assume that because Benjamin lived in London, he would somehow ace this challenge? If such logic were true, everybody within a 10 mile radius of Rodeo Drive should be dripping in designer style. His coat was just meh - an ivy green plaid with shiny latex plastic pockets? Where was the hardware, the unexpected details? That's what one expects from British fashion - at once prim yet vulgar, sharp and soft, detailed, poetic.

I did not really understand the black tree cutout thing Dmitry did to his coat. In fact the whole look was kind of strange. Neoprene has a weird texture, like somewhere between fish skin and hose. The coat looked heavy, bulky, and did I mention heavy???

As the weeks past, I'm starting to dislike Justin even more and more. His coat was okay, but it was his model who carried it well. On somebody else I doubt the judges would have gushed so much over it. There's something in his personality I find is lacking in sincerity and genuineness. And if that pisses somebody off I could care less...

Edited December 5, 2014 by BathKol

[Julia]

You mean Zanna Acid? Yeah, she looked pretty fried this episode - I wonder if she bleached her hair with citric acid and hydrogen peroxide? That pine green mini dress she wore to the workroom was both baggy and too short - it had no discernible waistline and the little peplum skirt was just so little girl and wrong on so many levels. Sigh.

She is pretty awful, but I meant the Duchess. She was notable by her absence from the big wedding. She told Oprah it was because of that unfortunate thing where she tried to pay her debts by selling access to her ex-husband.

 

I thought it was kind of adorable that Gunnar bought into the classic Do whatever someone won with last week tradition that Sean worked to his advantage on the mothership by adopting Helen's straightjacket sleeves this week.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Julia

[BathKol]

She is pretty awful, but I meant the Duchess. She was notable by her absence from the big wedding. She told Oprah it was because of that unfortunate thing where she tried to pay her debts by selling access to her ex-husband.

I thought it was kind of adorable that Gunnar bought into the classic Do whatever someone won with last week tradition that Sean worked to his advantage on the mothership by adopting Helen's straightjacket sleeves this week.

I wasn't looking at Sarah much to be honest. She's always looked kind of washed up and haggard. I wouldn't want her at my wedding either. What she did was strange; I'm not sure how she expects the Family, who relies on image, to accept her back within the inner circle after all the negative press she has received? Oh well.

Gunnar's still here? He's so quiet. Unlike Jay. When they revealed their 15 minute stop-and-fart destination his screech was so audible over everyone else's. Ugh. I'm going to regurgitate my cappuccino just thinking about it.

[needschocolate]

I guess they are updating the children's classic "The Emperor's New Clothes" and calling it "The Duchess's New Eyeliner."  No one wants to tell her she looks like a raccoon.  

 

It think Fergie has aged nicely and I like that she doesn't go for the over-botoxed look that so many middle aged  celebrities are going for, but the amount of eyeliner she had on was ridiculous.

[Wings]

I loved Sonja's coat!  It looked stylish, warm and cozy.  I was shocked it wasn't in the top 3.  Justin was in the bottom 3 for me.  A coat with no back is not practical for the weather and you had to wear brown pants with it every time you used it.  A dress or clashing color would have looked terrible.  

 

The Royal Family treated both Diana and Fergi terribly.  The queen is a horrible person.  IMO  

[BathKol]

I loved Sonja's coat! It looked stylish, warm and cozy. I was shocked it wasn't in the top 3. Justin was in the bottom 3 for me. A coat with no back is not practical for the weather and you had to wear brown pants with it every time you used it. A dress or clashing color would have looked terrible.

The Royal Family treated both Diana and Fergi terribly. The queen is a horrible person. IMO

You could reasonably wear Justin's backless coat in California, where it is chilly enough by late winter you can't suffice it with just jeans and a Hollister hoodie. We will have days out here by the coast where the temp dips down to 32 in the evenings and never rises above 58 - plus we are experiencing colder winters on average, and the high desert has been know to go below freezing. I've seen coats like that here in Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman so it is not completely impractical...

Honestly, the Royal Family (I say this with gritted teeth) lost all interest in the world after Henry and his wives and countless numbers of female conquests. I could care less who is a duchess, duke, princess, lord, queen - at the end of the day we all gotta wipe our butts, flush the toilet, and face the reality of ourselves. I'm sure Her Grace has her reasons...

Edited December 5, 2014 by BathKol